The Damned Demon - Chapter 873

Aira took a deep, shaky breath, trying to steady her frantic heartbeat. Her small, delicate fingers trembled as they clutched the balcony railing, cold metal pressing into her palms. Her vision blurred, tears welling up as the full weight of the impossible truth sank in.

She was back—somehow thrown through time—inhabiting the body of her younger self.

She quickly wiped her tears away, determination filling her chest as she peered down once more at the familiar courtyard.

Elizabeth was guiding two small figures along the stone path. One of them, a boy, stood out clearly—thin, quiet, with piercing eyes that already carried a heaviness that didn't belong to his age.

"Cedric..." she whispered softly, her heart swelling with painful relief. "At least you're alive..."

Aira forced herself to pull away from the balcony and ran from her room, her footsteps quick and frantic. Her mind raced, and her heart thundered, a single thought driving her forward:

She could fix this. She could prevent the tragedy from ever happening again. If she can prevent him from getting stronger, then he will never be at that place...the place where he died. And Derek will have no reason to target him.

"Father! Mother!" Aira burst through the grand double doors of the study, startling Edward and Alice. They turned swiftly, eyes wide at their daughter's sudden entrance.

Edward frowned slightly in concern, noticing her flushed face and rapid breathing. "Aira? What's the matter? Are you alright?"

"Please," she begged, breathless, her voice strained with urgency, "I have to tell you something important. It's about Andrei—the boy you just brought here."

Alice exchanged a puzzled glance with Edward, then gently knelt down to meet her daughter's desperate gaze. "Andrei? Darling, why are you talking about him so suddenly? What's wrong?"

"Promise me you won't let him do anything dangerous. Please—give him a safe task around the estate. Something quiet, something peaceful," Aira urged, gripping her mother's hands tightly. Her hazel eyes shone with an intensity far beyond her years, startling Alice.

Edward stepped forward, bewildered. "Aira, sweetheart, what is this all about? Andrei is just an orphan child from the other side of the world. He's hardly significant enough for you to worry yourself so much."

Alice, however, gasped suddenly, placing a gentle hand over her mouth, her eyes wide and shimmering with wonder and shock, "Edward...could it be? Has she awakened the powers of an Oracle?" She then mumbled to herself, "The 2nd Oracle's prophecy was right...an Oracle sent by the angels would be born in this era. How could I have not known the signs..."

Edward's expression stiffened, looking down at his daughter. "Aira... is your strange behavior because of visions you've had? Have you seen something about that boy's future?"

Aira's eyes filled again with tears, and she hesitated. She couldn't possibly tell them the whole truth—they would never believe her if she told them she had lived an entire lifetime.

But perhaps half the truth was enough.

"Yes," she said quietly, nodding. "I've had visions—many visions. I saw terrible things happening, and it all concerns Andrei. The fate of the world rests on him. You must trust me. You must keep him safe, no matter what."

Edward straightened, his brow furrowing in confusion, doubt etched deep into his face. "But how could a random orphan have anything to do with the fate of the world, Aira?"

Aira shook her head urgently, desperation thickening her voice. "Please, Father. I can't explain everything right now, but you have to listen to me. I beg you—promise me you'll keep him safe."

Alice gently squeezed her daughter's trembling hands, looking up at Edward with pleading eyes. Finally, Edward sighed softly, nodding reluctantly. "Alright, Aira. If it means so much to you, we'll ensure he stays safe and assign him an easy task. Nothing dangerous, I promise."

Aira felt the crushing weight in her chest begin to lift slightly, her breaths steadying as relief washed over her. "Thank you...thank you."

But just as quickly, the scene shifted. Days melted into weeks, weeks into months. And before she knew it, Aira stood hidden behind the trees in the gardens, her young heart hammering painfully in her chest as she watched Andrei practicing alone in secret.

"No... Andrei, please stop!" Aira called, running toward him, breathless and frightened.

Andrei turned sharply, surprise etched clearly onto his young face, "Aira? What are you doing here?"

"Stop trying to use your powers," she begged, grabbing his wrist urgently. "Please, you have to live a normal life. My family and I will take care of you forever. You don't need to do this."

Confusion clouded Andrei's eyes, quickly replaced by stubborn defiance. "Why are you stopping me? I'm not causing trouble for anyone. I'm just training in my free time."

"You don't understand," she pleaded desperately. "It isn't worth destroying your life over this."

Andrei shook his head firmly, his voice trembling with suppressed anger, "How can you possibly know it'll destroy my life? And even if you're right, I'd still do it. I have to kill demons—every single one. Or else...m-my mother will never rest in peace."

The pain and stubborn determination in his voice struck her heart like a dagger. At that moment, she understood clearly that his path was set—consumed by vengeance, Andrei would never yield.

Yet, despite this realization, Aira refused to surrender completely. Instead, determination filled her heart again, strengthening her resolve. Perhaps, with time, patience, and love, she could gently steer him away from that dangerous path.

The scene shifted again, years drifting away like whispers in the wind.

They were older now, teenagers walking hand-in-hand through the lush, sunlit gardens of her family's grand estate. The scent of roses floated gently in the breeze, and sunlight cascaded down in golden beams around them.

Aira smiled softly, warmth blossoming in her chest as she squeezed Cedric's hand. "You know... I'm glad that you didn't let the idea of revenge consume you."

Cedric turned his head, meeting her gaze with a gentle smile. "You made me realize how easy it is to lose the people still alive in pursuit of revenge. So, I realized...I can't lose you too."

Her smile deepened, her heart fluttering gently at his words. But Cedric's expression grew slightly solemn as he continued, "But, I still feel disappointed in myself. I'm weak. I can't even protect you or join you when you go on quests. All I can do is stand aside and watch you leave, praying that you'll return safely. And there are still people mocking me—mocking you for staying with me. Even your parents seem disappointed, even though they don't openly say it."

Aira quickly hugged his arm tightly, leaning her head against his shoulder. "We shouldn't care about such things. You're not weak, Cedric. And as for strength...I am strong enough for both of us. We'll be alright, as long as we never let go of each other."

Cedric smiled softly, sighing gently as he shook his head. "It's not like I have a choice anyway. You won't even let me leave the estate without you. Where else could I go?"

She laughed quietly, lifting her head to meet his gentle gaze, warmth filling her chest. "Exactly. You belong right here, with me. And I'll keep you safe, always."

The surroundings melted away and this time few years seemed to have passed,

Aira felt a wave of exhaustion slowly fading from her body as she approached her estate, her armor smeared with dirt and traces of demon blood from her latest quest.

Since she had to start from the beginning, she had been relentlessly taking up the hardest quests to make herself stronger as early as possible to protect him.

Yet, despite the fatigue gnawing at her bones, a gentle smile lingered on her lips.

Soon she'd be home, safe and warm, back with Cedric. Just thinking of his calm presence waiting for her made her heart swell with peace.

But her pleasant thoughts shattered like fragile glass as she saw thick black smoke rising ominously into the sky, curling from behind her mansion, where the barn stood nestled beside the gardens. Her heart seized, each beat becoming painfully heavy, pounding like thunder in her ears while few guards and servants were running to and fro.

"Cedric..." she whispered, her voice strangled by a sudden fear. She abandoned caution, breaking into a frantic run.

The sight that greeted her was one of chaos and panic. The barn lay in smoldering ruins, its timber frame fractured and charred, wisps of smoke still spiraling upwards. The gardens, once meticulously maintained, were scarred, crushed flowers and trampled paths littering the once peaceful grounds.

Servants scrambled to extinguish the lingering flames and salvage anything they could, their faces grim and weary. Alice stood among them, her expression tight and sorrowful. Her mother's eyes widened the moment she caught sight of Aira.

"Aira, wait!" Alice called anxiously, rushing to intercept her daughter before she could reach the ruined barn.

"Mother, what's going on? Where's Cedric? Is he alright?" Aira demanded, panic lacing her voice as she tried to push past her mother, her gaze desperately scanning for a sign of life within the barn since she couldn't sense his presence elsewhere.

But all she sensed was darkness.

Alice grabbed her tightly, her arms encircling Aira in a firm, desperate embrace. Her voice broke with pain and anguish, "Aira, stop! Please... Cedric, he—he's gone..."

Aira froze, her blood turning cold, disbelief flooding her senses. Her heart seemed to stop entirely as she turned wide eyes toward her mother, "Gone? No...no! What do you mean he's gone? Where is he?"

Alice struggled, tears glistening in her eyes as she forced herself to speak clearly, "A quest suddenly appeared here, near the barn. A demon came through, intent on slaughtering our servants. Cedric, he...he intervened. He tried to protect them, but... he was too weak to defend himself...Maybe it's our fault we never let him get stronger. But such a quest in a protected area shouldn't have happened."

"No...NO!" Aira screamed, her voice raw and shattered. She tore herself free from Alice's grasp, charging towards the charred wreckage. Servants stepped forward, trying to block her, their faces pale and pained. But she shoved past them with a fierce desperation.

Inside the ruined barn, her knees nearly buckled at the horrific sight awaiting her.

Cedric's shattered remains lay scattered on the scorched ground, his frozen body splintered into dozens of icy fragments. The world around Aira seemed to fade, and an unbearable ache gripped her heart.

"No...Cedric, please, no," she sobbed, sinking to her knees. She reached out, her hands trembling uncontrollably, unable to grasp even a single recognizable fragment of the man she loved.

Pain twisted her face as denial surged through her veins. "No...this cannot have happened...not again..."

In that moment of overwhelming despair, her eyes blazed fiercely, filling the barn with blinding radiant white light. A surge of immeasurable power erupted from within her, rippling outward as reality itself began to unwind at her will.

Time shuddered, faltered, then obeyed—reversing itself.

Asher watched, utterly stupefied and unable to think or speak, as the world rewound in obedience to Aira's command.

He had already stopped questioning whether all this was real or not. Now he only wanted this pain to stop.

Broken fragments of Cedric's frozen body hovered and flowed gently, piecing together into their former shape, wounds sealing as though they'd never been.

Then a gaping, ominous tear appeared in mid-air—the portal from which the demon had arrived.

Aira watched in fierce concentration as the reversed portal disgorged a familiar figure in black noble robes—a figure Asher recognized immediately.

"Oberon...?" Asher mumbled in disbelief, a seething bitterness rising within him. How could his human self be felled by such a pathetic thing?

Aira's eyes filled with killing intent as she saw Oberon's figure stepped backward from the portal in reverse, his malicious grin vanishing into the past, the icy attack that killed Cedric unraveling backward into his palm.

She felt hope bloom fiercely in her chest. Just a bit more...a mere moment earlier...and Cedric would be safe. She would snatch him away from this fate.

Yet, suddenly, time itself resisted her, growing heavy and immovable. No matter how she strained, no matter how desperately she clawed at the threads of reality, time refused to reverse even another second.

"No...No, please!" she begged, her voice breaking in sheer agony as tears flooded her eyes. "Don't do this again..."

But her plea went unheard. Time slipped cruelly forward once more. Cedric's figure jerked violently, the ice shards rupturing his body anew. Oberon's hateful sneer returned, his attack repeating as though mocking her attempt.

"No...STOP!" she screamed desperately, trying again and again to seize control, even as she felt the unbearable strain ravaging her body. Her skin withered rapidly, wrinkles carving harsh paths across her once youthful face, hair turning brittle and white, vitality bleeding away from her with every passing second.

And the more she struggled to go against time, the faster she aged.

Oberon vanished, leaving her with the grim reality. She collapsed heavily, bones aching, strength nearly drained entirely from her aged frame. Yet time sped mercilessly forward, bringing her back again to that exact, horrifying present.

She stared in hollow devastation at Cedric's remains once more, the icy fragments taunting her failure.

"How...why?" she whispered, tears flowing endlessly. She turned her gaze upwards, desperation and anger flaring. "Why are you doing this to us?!" she screamed into the void, knowing the entity responsible was silently mocking her futile struggle.

Only silence met her anguished cries as her frail body finally surrendered, collapsing lifelessly onto the cold ground beside the fragments of her love.

Asher watched, heart clenched with pain and grief. He felt her agony as though it were his own, and for the first time, the realization hit him that this all felt terrifyingly, painfully real.

Yet the nightmare was far from over.

His vision twisted again, reality rippling violently, until he found himself staring through the wide, frightened eyes of a little girl in her lavishly furnished bedroom.

A mirror stood before her, reflecting the youthful, terrified face of a child.

"No..." he heard Aira's trembling voice whisper through his lips. Her hands rose slowly, fingers shaking uncontrollably as she touched her young face, horror twisting her innocent features.

She stared around the familiar surroundings, dread filling her heart as understanding hit her like a thunderbolt. She'd failed. Again.

"No, this is not over..." Aira wiped her eyes as a sudden surge of determination overwhelmed her pain and grief.

It might seem like everything she did was for nothing but Cedric was once again alive.

"I will find a way..." Aira mumbled as her feet dragged her towards the balcony, seeing a little Cedric and Irina being guided through the large gates by Elizabeth.

"I won't let you die..." She choked softly, the despair too heavy for her small body. Tears flowed quietly down her cheeks though these tears carried her grim resolve.

She didn't care if she had to live all those years again. At least it meant she had that much time to think of solutions.

Asher, trapped within her memories, felt his soul tremble in disbelief. He was no longer merely a spectator. He felt bound to her, bound to her pain and desperate struggle.

Yet he had no power to break free from these memories—trapped to watch as he saw her not willing to give up but to still find a way to prevent what seemed an inevitable fate.